It was midnight, a crisp, navy-sky midnight. Everything was wet with the after shower from the previous day. The trees overhead were dripping with raindrops, which splashed on fallen leaves and dampened the already moist earth under my bare feet. I was standing in the outskirts of a forest, inhaling the sweet scents around me. Everything was always so quaint after a healing rain…
"You have to get in and out discreetly and quickly," Koenma said, drawing me away from my thoughts. He was telling us our mission, us being Hiei, Kuwabara, Kurama, Yusuke, and I. Yusuke and Kuwabara brought with them raingear. The demons of the group had more common sense then that.
"This is where you'll be dropped off," Koenma said, pointing on a laminated map of a mainly peachy color symbolizing sand. There was a black x about four inches from a crescent shape, a wall, and inside were many rectangles representing buildings. In the center was a large collaboration of figures that appeared to signify the castle.
"Every inch symbolizes one mile," he continued. "I'll be sending you off soon. When you land outside the portal, start at a fast pace toward the castle. You have to reach there by sundown. Find a way inside the castle; I don't care how you do it. But whatever you do, don't say you're from me. They'd kill you on the spot for that.
"Find the princess and get her out of there. Preferably with the least amount of attention drawn to yourselves as possible. That means no massacres, Hiei."
"Hn."
I turned to look at him, studying his hard face, his ruby eyes focused on Koenma.
Forbidden…
Hiei's eyes flickered to mine, lingering on a cold glare. I took a sharp breath. "What are you looking at?" he grunted at me. I saw Kurama looking at us discreetly.
Gathering my pride, I barked, "Nothing much." I quickly wanted to take it back when I saw his shocked face, which quickly changed into what looked like unbelievable fury.
"What'd you say-"
"I think we've got all we wanted, thanks Koenma, ah yes, Hiei, would you mind taking that map from him? Kumori, my, why don't you stand over here? A bit further from Hiei, maybe?" Kurama cut in quickly as he smiled nervously and grabbed my shoulders, slowly dragging me away from Hiei.
Wordlessly, the midget walked up, stared up at a slightly surprised Koenma, snatched the map, and walked beyond him. A swirling vortex soon appeared at his feet, but he wasn't the least bit surprised. He simply turned, cape being tugged by the violent winds, and stared expectantly at Kurama.
"Yusuke, Kuwabara," Kurama addressed, "you go in first."
"Why do we haveta-?"
"Just go, slowpoke," Yusuke said as he ushered his tall, orange-haired friend toward the portal and waiting demon. Koenma moved to the side for their easier access. Kuwabara stopped right in front of it, staring hard.
"Urameshi, are you sure this is sa-AAAAAAAAAAH!" he screamed as Yusuke smiled and pushed him through.
"It ain't like you haven't done it bef-HEY!" he shouted likewise as Koenma proceeded to push him through the portal as well.
I looked over my shoulder at Kurama's hand. "If you expect me to follow in the same order, there will be blood on the ground."
"No, no, don't worry, you can go on your own account," the redhead said with a light chuckle as he let go of me. I began to walk, carefully, toward the portal. My eyes were fixated on Koenma, silently daring him to even try to push me in.
He caught onto my suspicious glare and nodded to Hiei, then Kurama, and walked out of the forest behind me. I presume he disappeared into a portal too, because after that his footsteps ceased and his scent dispersed.
Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief, I came to the portal. Now, never having been inside a portal before, I was hesitant and leaned forward, sniffing it. Before the scent could register, however, a strong hand suddenly shoved harshly between my shoulder blades, and I went head first into the swirling mass of the unknown.
"YaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" I screamed as the portal ended and left me in the air, and I was soaring toward tiny grains of sparkling sand. I braced myself by putting my arm in front of my face, and once it hit the ground I forced my body to roll, which resorted in an event that made me jolt back into the air by force of the landing. I took control of the air-borne act and flipped, then landed on the ground on all fours, my claws gripping the sand for anything I could hold onto.
"What a landing," I heard Yusuke's voice say, a hint of respect somewhere. I stood up and saw him and Kuwabara sitting on a sand dune, looking up at the parching sun.
I heard a flapping noise, clothing caught in a wind, and turned around. I smiled when I saw it was Hiei who had jumped out of the portal and was descending quite nicely. I'll change that, you little mongrel…
His back was turned to me, so I silently stalked up to him and when he was about to hit the ground, I took a handful of his cloak and threw him backwards. Caught on mild surprise, he drew his katana and instinctively took a stroke toward me. I drew my Sais and caught his blade between the shaft and the wing. I pulled it downward and went for my other Sai with my free hand, but Hiei saw it and pulled against me, forcing me to hold onto my Sai with both hands to keep him down.
"Why you…" I growled as my hands began to shake. Damn, he's strong
Kurama sighed as he landed softly on the sand. With this constant fighting we won't get anywhere…
As he decided to break up the fight, a flash of something blue caught his eye. When he looked up, it was too late to warn the two fiery demons.
I smelt salty water and instinctively leapt backward, my Sai falling from my hands. A tentacle of water crashed where I had been standing and wet the sand considerably. I growled and looked to the right, with everyone else, and saw the last thing I'd ever want to see.
"Found you, Kumori."
It came from a sickly sweet voiced woman who stood on the sand. Her long silver hair was straight and flowed to her knees. Two locks hovered about her face, one tipped in gold. Her deep gray eyes were holding what could be described as malicious arrogance. She wore a very short colorless shirt that covered only what was necessary, and a gold lining that ran down the center. It was latched over with a black tie.
Her stomach shone bare, and her hips covered in a loose rose fabric. Her light teal pants wereverybaggy and clinged to her knees.A glossy gold belt ran over the top of them.
A deep, throaty grow started within me and steadily grew louder until I snarled, "How'd you find me?"
She smiled, her gray eyes gleaming, and answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Well, master said he had someone send for you. Apparently you've stuck around with them for some reason. No matter, it'll all be over very soon."
"Well," Yusuke said as he stood up, blocking her view from me. She curiously changed her attention to him. "You certainly seem very full of yourself for someone we've never met before," he finished.
I closed my eyes, fists clenching tightly at my sides. "Yusuke, stay out of it."
The new arrival, however, was very amused at this comment. "Never met before?" she asked, laughter hitching her voice, "That's certainly something!"
"Care for an explanation?" Kurama asked.
"Not enough time in the day," I said, a sudden smile on my face. My hands began to shake, even when I released them from the tight grip.
Hiei looked at me, easily seeing through the emotional mask.
Hn…
"Speaking of which," I continued, turning to look for my Sais, "I'm busy at the moment and have to be somewhe-."
"Kanson City as well? What a coincidence!" she cut me off, startling me from my search. I glared at her through narrowed eyes.
"Yes…quite a coincidence…" Kurama said quietly.
"You guys are acting awfully familiar with each other," Kuwabara observed, "do you know her from somewhere, Kumori?"
"I'd rather not give details," I growled at him.
"As it is," she picked up again, "I have to be there as well."
"Too bad," I said, flashing a fanged smile and tensing my arms, slowly inching toward my weapons, "only one of us can get there alive."
She smiled. "My thoughts exactly."
I made a lunge for my Sais as she raised her left hand. My fingertips grazed one of the hilts, but they were pulled away from me as the wet sand rose from the ground and formed an orb, with my possessions inside. I caught my balance and stood, swiping my claws at the sand dome. It rose just out of reach, and then soared toward the woman.
"Michiko, you bitch!" I screamed at her, facing the monstrosity in all its glory.
"Ah, such profanity," she smiled, "haven't changed a bit in one hundred years, have you?"
"I've gotten faster," I growled, flashing into nothingness but shadows. In less then an eye blink, I flickered in front of her. "And, stronger," I bit out with a smirk, throwing a flamed fist toward her stomach.
Michiko fell to the ground, but quickly retaliated and kicked herself up, throwing her hands on my chest. I bore my fangs and tried to shrug her off, but coughed harshly as water began to fill my lungs. I stepped backward, threw my head to the side, even tried to focus on putting her hair to flames. But my lungs were filling to quickly and my body wouldn't respond to anything but coughing. Water began to spill from my mouth, my throat was raw, and I wasn't able to breathe.
I closed my eyes and tried one last attempt to draw something…anything…
In my chest, somewhere, I felt a small tug. Like a string, gently calling with a soft jerk. I felt my head grow heavy and unfamiliar darkness swirled around me. Despite that, I reached out for the string. I squinted in the darkness as it swirled around me, in my head, and began to block my vision. I reached out with my hand; desperately feeling for something I knew was there. Before the darkness completely numbed me and blocked my vision, I saw a glinting strand of red string…
I thrust forward in a last attempt, and my fingertips gripped the cool line and wrapped around it. Then I felt the cold darkness completely swallow me whole, and I blacked out…
--
I was still swimming in that forgiving darkness, and somehow found it unfamiliar. The usually warm feeling that that I was so accustomed had changed to a deathly cold and was tingling across my skin. I took a deep breath and felt a stinging air come with the breath as something came crashing on my chest. I screwed my eyes shut and tried to draw forth another breath, but it collided with me in my chest again and didn't give me time to do so. I sat up at the rushing feeling of water as it ran up my throat, and I coughed it all up into my soaking lap.
"Hey, she's conscious," someone shouted over my head. My eyes were still closed tightly, and my head foggy with muddled water. Then I fell back to the soft ground, flinching only slightly from the fall.
"Maybe not…" the voice continued at a lower, more pleasurable level.
"What do you make of Michiko, K-?"
"Michiko!" I shouted in a rushed gasp, sitting up and wildly searching for my Sais.
"Calm down," Kurama told me, his red head easy to make out in the near-darkness. Darkness…?
"She's taken care of."
"What?" I asked, suddenly very confused and curious, "who did it?"
"Well-" Kurama began.
Something was tossed into my lap carelessly, and I grabbed in instinctively. My fingertips wrapped around the recognizable grip of my Sai, and I raised it upward for closer inspection.
"There," a gruff voice grunted. I turned to my left, finding the black figure among the darkened sand. He wasn't looking at me, but studying something else rather intently.
My eyes squinted at him. "What are you looking at?"
He flickered his gaze to me; his ruby eyes clear to make out with their heated stare and bright coloration. He tilted his hand, moving whatever he was examining into starlight. I raised my eyebrow when I recognized it at my other Sai.
After this was established he turned back to my weapon, continuing to scrutinize it. I snorted, shakily stood, and took in my surroundings. Sand. Just endless rolls of sand.
Great… "What happened?" I asked, breaking the unwanted silence.
"After she was defeated," Kurama explained, "we all decided it best we stay here and try to wake you."
"I doubt it took you that many hours to wake me up," I mumbled angrily.
"It did, however, take a while to defeat Michiko," he reasoned. Then he sent me a very suspicious look. I swallowed the lump in my throat bravely and barked, "What?"
"It's just," he began slowly, "you two seem to have…a lot of familiarities…"
"We're exactly the opposite!" I snapped, balling my hands into fists. My eyes flashed dangerously as I continued, "I don't even know where you could have come up with such a stupid theory!"
"Sorry," Kurama apologized, "it was just a question…"
Somehow, I wanted to take it back. After all, they did save me…didn't they? Whatever I decided, mentally pushing the thought away. "Day one is over and we're left with nothing accomplished. I say we make our way over to Kanson now."
"In the dark?" Hiei asked with high doubt.
"Why? Afraid?" I teased.
"Hn, its not me that's afraid of the dark, it's some of the weaker among us," he retorted, nodding his head lazily toward Kuwabara.
"Hey-! I am not afraid of the dark!" he shouted.
"Besides," Hiei continued, "it isn't like I don't want this mission over with, but if we go now it's likely that we'll be attacked. After all, that's what you get with having humans in tow."
I bit back a suggestion that would sound like then let's just drop the humans because that was out of the question. Of course we had to haul Kuwabara and Yusuke with us. Kuwabara was our track dog and Yusuke our main fighter. I think that's how it went.
"We're going to get attacked if we stay here, also!" I shouted. My right leg wobbled, almost giving out.
"Then we'll have to keep shifts in two. I suppose Kuwabara, Yusuke, and I will keep first watch and Hiei and Kumori second. After that we can continue-," Kurama suggested.
"But I don't want to be teamed up with that!" I opposed, shoving my finger inHiei's direction.
Hiei merely glanced at me. "She's worthless as a lookout. She's incapable to fight in this condition, or in any other." I seethed at him. "I believe we should separate into more fair groups and let it sleep."
"Oh, 'incapable to fight?' I'll show you incapable to fight!" I barked as I made an attempt to stomp toward him.
Kurama sighed and said, "I only think you two should go last, not to mention together, because you two were the ones fighting, so it's only fair you two get more rest. And, Kumori is a shadow demon, Hiei, don't you think she'd be able to sense anything lurking in the dark easier then you could?"
"Hn."
"Ch'!" I snorted, folding my arms across my chest.
"Well…that's settled," Yusuke said as he scratched the back of his head.
"So we've got first shift? Fine with me!" Kuwabara said.
"So it's agreed. Yusuke Kuwabara and I first, Hiei and Kumori second," Kurama clarified.
Five minutes later, Kuwabara had given out blankets for us to sleep on, courtesy of him and his sister's consideration. They were mostly laid out pretty randomly. I picked a sandy boulder, while the others preferred the earth. Hiei had decided he didn't need a blanket and was standing somewhere on the other side of what you could call our 'camp'.
I was staring up at the sky, lying on my back. I took a deep breath of dusty air and nearly coughed from how dry it seemed. My throat already felt raw, so I tried my best to breathe calmly and sleep. As I did, I found myself thinking over things Kurama had said.
He never told me who defeated Michiko, but he did say Hiei and I were fighting…Did he…? No, that's ridiculous. He hates me, God knows why, but he hates me. I think that's his response to most things.
I shrugged off the thought of Hiei and tried to bring up something else that had been bothering me ever since I woke up.
What the hell was that…that…thing that I felt when I was blacking out? Some sort of sting? Yes, I think that's what it was…
…Does it have to do with Hiei?
"Nnnng," I groaned, putting my hand against my forehead. I still can't think straight. I'll put these on the side and come back to them later. Michiko's attack is still messing with me. Best to sleep and forget it all, for now…
A/N- Oi, that came out a bit quicker, ne? Well I hope this clears some things up, at least a bit. Yeah, other then that you guys know I've got a DeviantART account, right? Didn't I tell you that last time, or am I imagining things now? Ah well, doesn't matter, 'cause I'll tell you AGAIN!
http/fuzzyears007. deviantart . com /
(Yeah, just delete the spaces and add a colen and another slash at the beginning) Feedback would be nice! hinthint